Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Original poster

Using own car between 2 offices?

36 replies

barnowltwittwoo · 24/07/2022 08:54

I stared a new job back in April. There was no mention of me going to another branch which is an 80 mile round trip from home however, a couple of comments have been made that makes me think I’m going to be asked to go. 2 or may be 3 days a week. This is due to a staff member going on maternity leave. As I say never discussed at interview stage.

The advert for my job did say you must have driving licence which I do. An automatic. Again, this was never discussed or raised at interviews. To go between branches they have the use of company vehicles and fuel is provided for those vehicles. They are manual though.

I am not sure where I stand here. My car is old. I am looking at a new one but not until October or November time so I don’t want to be adding possibly 240 miles a week to the clock. The office I currently work in is 7 miles door to door. A factor in accepting the job was being so close to home and school for my DC. If discussions were clear at interview about travel, I am pretty confident I’d have turned the position down. I don’t think I can do anything here though can I? My contract just says company name at place of work, no address.

OP posts:
Original poster
barnowltwittwoo · 24/07/2022 09:03

Just checked double checked the job spec.

It actually says having a driving licence is advantageous. That is all.

OP posts:
cooldarkroom · 24/07/2022 09:27

You will have to say you can do it if they provide car & fuel

PeppaPigIsAnnoying · 24/07/2022 09:28

If you are asked to go in a company vehicle to the other office you will not legally be able to do so. Unless they buy an auto for you, you won't be going anywhere

If they ask you to use your car refuse. There was no mention of it at interview and you could state you don't want to put extra wear and tear and miles on it etc

ArnoldBee · 24/07/2022 09:30

You will also need to add business use to your insurance.

AlisonDonut · 24/07/2022 09:32

You stand...unable to go unless they supply an automatic car. If they supply vehicles to travel to another office and they want you to go, then they have to supply the vehicle. Also dont get caught up using your time to do this travel. Or at least get it back in lieu once the cover is over.

LIZS · 24/07/2022 09:33

Hmrc cap expenses at 45p per mile on private vehicles.

DelurkingAJ · 24/07/2022 09:34

LIZS · 24/07/2022 09:33

Hmrc cap expenses at 45p per mile on private vehicles.

A company CAN pay more but then it has to be taxed as a benefit…

KarrotKake · 24/07/2022 09:35

You don't hold a manual license, and your car is presumably not insured for business use.
So you can't go, unless they provide you with an automatic car.

DelilahBucket · 24/07/2022 09:36

Your contract should specify place of work with an address, even if it is multiple locations.
They will probably suggest you use your own vehicle and pay you mileage for it. You will need business insurance. If there is nothing in your contract about working from a different location all they can do is ask and you have every right to refuse. That's not to say they won't make things awkward if you refuse though.

BuffaloCauliflower · 24/07/2022 09:36

Does your contract state that you can be asked to work at another branch, or anywhere else for that matter?

LadyLapsang · 24/07/2022 09:38

Are you still in a probationary period?

OverTheHillAndDownTotherSide · 24/07/2022 09:40

LadyLapsang · 24/07/2022 09:38

Are you still in a probationary period?

Red herring.

C8H10N4O2 · 24/07/2022 09:42

What does it actually say in your contract about work locations and expectations of travel?

MajorCarolDanvers · 24/07/2022 09:44

It's not the advert you need to check - it's your contract, terms and conditions.

Raul57 · 24/07/2022 09:53

Chat to them - they may pleasantly surprise you.

As others stated check the contract.

one of our kids got into a job early on in their work life - she can only drive autos - they wanted her to occasional move cars in the yard and she told them no one mentioned anyhting re 'full licen, drive manual they agreed and did not ask her to move cars.

Look for another job IMO as situations like this makes both sides unhappy but at least speak to them first as I said before and see what they offer.

gogohmm · 24/07/2022 09:54

If they need you to travel to the other office it's likely they will lease you a car for the journey, happens all the time - do stick to your guns on being paid for the additional hours each way of travel time

Original poster
barnowltwittwoo · 24/07/2022 10:07

Thanks everyone. My contract starts with a summary and states the following

Normal Place of work - company name shown, no address.

Vehicle - not applicable (see below re paragraph 18).

attached to the summary are several pages of more detail including

Your normal place of work is as stated in paragraph 10 of the summary (which is the company name only) but they reserve the right to change this by giving one month’s notice in writing.

also is says

Your entitlement to a company vehicle, if any, is set out in paragraph 18 of the summary. It then says you need to follow their policy on the usage of vehicles.

I suspect I have ballsed up by not getting them to include an address at normal place of work.

There is nothing on the summary or the supplementary pages about travel. There may be in the staff handbook but I suspect that’s not relevant due to it not being in the contract.

I have no probationary period if that’s relevant.

OP posts:
Original poster
barnowltwittwoo · 24/07/2022 10:10

Thanks everyone for your input. I don’t want to look for another job as I started a job last November which was a completely toxic and non compliant place to be and the owner died so I applied and got this job. I have no idea how I would explain 2 job changes in less than a year.

my job prior to that was 14 years though.

OP posts:
Mix56 · 24/07/2022 10:16

You have a perfectly valid reason should you have to change job, if it does arise
You explain your personal car is not up to this, you have an automatic license.
They need to find a solution
It may be there is already an automatic car...

coldandverytired · 24/07/2022 10:33

In my company if you are deemed an essential user you would either be provided with a company vehicle (fleet or hire) or a car allowance.

Occasional users join the grey fleet or use pool cars. If we join the grey fleet our vehicle has to meet certain standards (they check MOT, Tax, service record and euro6 standard compliance etc) this is all set out in the company handbook and we are paid standard mileage rate of £0.45 per mile plus £0.05 per mile per passenger.

At recruitment we ask for driving licence checks- this means that HR have a record of what people can drive, before getting a company car there is an AA driving school assessment if you have any points etc.

do you have a staff handbook to refer to? This should set out all processes, it’s something that is taken seriously these days due to the health and safety at work act which places the responsibility for workplace accidents including while travelling for work purposes on the employer.

takeitandleaveit · 24/07/2022 10:42

My dd has a normal place of work about 3 miles away. Several weeks ago they were short-staffed at a branch 40 miles away, so she was asked to cover for several days. They are paying her mileage. I would have thought that was pretty standard.

dodobookends · 24/07/2022 10:45

ArnoldBee · 24/07/2022 09:30

You will also need to add business use to your insurance.

No she won't. Travelling to and from work is included in normal insurance, so as long as she's driving from home to work and back, she wouldn't need business use on the policy at all.

HouseOfGoldandBones · 24/07/2022 10:45

If it was me, I'd tell them I can't use my own car because it's not insured for business use & you're happy to do it either with the use of an auto car or public transport, but that you'll be finishing work at your own office at your usual finish time.

gemsgv · 24/07/2022 10:45

Usually a job application asks if you have a FULL driving license. If it asked that and you answered yes then it could get tricky

"You are only allowed to drive automatic cars, and not manuals. However, if you hold a manual licence, then you can also drive automatics. Therefore, the latter is a full licence"

QuebecBagnet · 24/07/2022 10:50

I had this after 15 years at office A they told me to work at B a couple of times a week, 50 miles away. My contract actually said A. So they gave me a 30 day consultation and changed my contract. I left

Swipe left for the next trending thread